Church Interior - St Kyneburgha - Castor, Cambridgeshire - UK Historical Markers on Waymarking.com

An information board inside the porch of St Kyneburgha's church, showing interesting features of this 12th century building.

"Castor Church bears a unique dedication to St Kyneburgha or Cyneburh as the Venerable Bede calls her. This remarkable Saxon princess was the daughter of the heathen King Penda of Mervin and his Queen, Cynewise. By AD 653 she had married Alhfrith, son of the King of Northumberland and had become a Christian. Upon the demist of her husband, c6450AD she returned to her own province here, where she founded a "double monastery" for both monks and nuns on the terrace of the ruins of the Roman Praetorium, now occupied by the present church. The convent probably ceased to function in the 9th/lOth century as a result of Viking raids, and thereafter became a Saxon Minster Church.

The first church at Castor may have been a simple timber and thatched structure, but because of the abundance of stone from the Roman Praetorium, it is likely it was soon rebuilt in stone. It is possible that the church was originally dedicated to the Virgin Mary. but we know from documents that it was rededicated to Kyneburgha, her sister Kyneswitha and Tibba their kinswoman. The earliest reliable documentary reference to the name of Castor is in a charter of AD 948. in which the settlement is called Kyneburga caestre (Kyneburgha's Castle).

THE SHRINE OF ST KYNEBURGHA AND ST KYNESWITHA Upon her death St Kyneburgha was probably succeeded as Abbess of the 'double monastery' by her sister Kyneswitha, to whom the North Aisle Altar is dedicated. The exquisite 8th century stone carvings of an Apostle holding a Gospel is believed to have been a fragment of the sisters' sarcophagus. It is possible that the blocked doorway in the east wall of the North Transept (visible only from outside) was the exit route taken by pilgrims after visiting the shrine. Most of the relics of the saintly princesses, together with those of their relative Tibbs of Ryhall, were translated to Peterborough Abbey by Abbot Aclfsige (Elsin) c AD 1012.

A walk round the outside of the church starting at the South porch and walking to the right reveals the following points. The porch itself is Early English and has an interesting tympanum. It would seem to show a carving of Christ with His hands raised in blessing. This is possibly Saxon in origin.

Walking to the right there arc recesses formerly used for tombs and two low sepulchral archways. The most notable point of interest on the South face is the priest's door into the chancel which pinpoints the date of dedication as 17th April 1124, although the final figures seem to have been put in at a later date. At the East end of the South chancel there is a small carving of a ram's head. Continuing to walk around the outside of the Early English chancel the most interesting point to notice next is found at the East end of the North wall of the transept. It is clear where the door to the North transept was blocked up. A stone protruding is said to have been where the lepers knelt for blessing. In the North wall the original North door is blocked up. It is here that there would have been access to the shrine of Saint Kyneburgha. Notice too along the wall the use here of Roman tiles. The windows along the West end of the North wall show characteristics of the later period when the North aisle was added. The West window is fourteenth century with a small Norman one over the top. It is possible to see where the wall has been blocked in below and where the North and South aisles were added to the original Norman church. -The lower has a fine peal of eight bells."

SOURCE - info board

Type of Historic Marker: Information board Give your Rating: Historical Marker Issuing Authority: Not listed Age/Event Date: Not listed Related Website: Not listed

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